Battle Command Sustainment Support System (BCS3) is the logistical component of the Battle Command (BC) System of Systems (SoS); as such, it provides capabilities via web-services that adhere to the direction of the Army Unified Battle Command (UBC) Strategy on the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRnet) and the Army Log Information Technology (IT) vision on the Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRnet). The system provides a logistics decision-making capability that supports United States Land Forces at war and in garrison. It provides a Microsoft Windows-like Common Operating Picture (COP) for logistics (Log) that is modular, tailorable, and scalable to meet the full spectrum of battlefield Log Command and Control (C2) requirements.
The system supports mission planning and execution in both an unclassified and classified environment, and is a fully integrated system in the Army’s Corps Battle Simulation (CBS) capability. The system is integrated into the Army’s Corps operationally and interfaces with other Army and Joint, Interagency, and Multi-National (JIM) C2 and logistics business systems.
CAPABILITIES
Commodity Visibility - BCS3 provides in-transit visibility to show critical supply and transportation asset information.
- Obtains asset visibility throughout the supply chain from the point of shipment to final destination, vendor to last tactical mile
- Tracks resources and establishes automated alerts when critical resources require tracking or are below required levels
User-Defined Common Operating Picture (COP) Management - BCS3 fuses sustainment information from numerous sources into one-user-defined mission focused and tailored map-centric visual display.
- Provides graphics that are scalable to the display requirements of tactical, operational, and strategic users’ needs
- Integrates logistics information critical to operations and enhances the ability to manage sustainment operations through end to end visibility
BCS3 is the logistician's C2 program of choice, providing for the first time a visual map display of the area of operation for warfighters.
Before BCS3, commanders and Soldiers had to look at different systems that did not present near real-time information on one system. BCS3 is the first product to give warfighters the unprecedented combination of attributes to include:
- Map-centric user-defined display
- Formerly separate data feeds into one integrated software program
- Tool to help commanders make better C2 decisions
- Tailorable, scalable, and adaptable to each user
Fielding and Training - Tapestry works rigorously to train users, field systems, and obtain feedback to put the best available product in users' hands.
BCS3 continues to take advantage of lessons learned and leverage the knowledge and experience of deployed warfighters.
Spiral development has been and continues to be a key tenet of BCS3. Spiral development brings developers and users together to create a software technology insertion that can be rapidly deployed.
Convoy Operations - BCS3 equips the commander with the ability to visualize cargo and equipment deployment.
- Enables the movement manager to plan, coordinate, and execute convoy operations; it is a force protection combat multiplier
- Integrates Trans Log Web--currently a separate application to display in-transit visibility data that reflect convoy movements in near real-time and provides alerts if/when convoys reach their destination, go off-track, or are late to support movement
Logistics Reporting - BCS3 provides a roll-up reporting tool to depict on-hand balances and to forecast requirements at all unit levels.
- Enhances the commander’s ability to understand what resources are at hand and the projected shortfalls incorporated into a combat power-reporting tool
Net-Enabled Command Capability (NECC) - BCS3 will maintain its core capabilities and continue to advance in development while integrating into the NECC architecture.
BCS3 “VISION”
- On or about FY 2015, BCS3 will provide Log C2 capability for U.S. Land Component Forces at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
- The system will provide the near real-time, map-centric, logistical information necessary to the Warfighter’s COP for making critical decisions. As the logistical component of the BC System of Systems (SoS), BCS3 will provide capability via web-services that adhere to the direction of a UBC on the SIPRnet and the Army Log IT vision on the NIPRnet.
- At life-cycle end, BCS3 services and capabilities will migrate to NECC for continued Log C2 support to Future Combat Systems (FCS), Army legacy and Joint users.